Monday, October 29, 2018

What You Should Do After EVERY Workout



1. Commit to a Cool-down
When you're especially crunched for time, you might decide it’s best to head to the locker room right after cardio. Not a great idea. A proper cool-down—where you move around at a light intensity—only takes a few minutes and helps you stay safe at the gym.

Allowing your body to comfortably come down from moderate or intense exercise provides a smooth, gradual transition away from increased heart rate. And cooling down helps prevent lightheadedness from blood pooling in the lower extremities, among other benefits. 

2. Turn Off Your Workout App
Analyzing and comparing your tracker metrics from one workout to the next can be motivating—plus it helps you keep improving toward your goals. While some smart workout apps detect when you’re done exercising and stop collecting data automatically, many don’t.

Forgetting to turn off a workout app can be frustrating: The longer the app runs when you’re no longer exercising, the more messed up the metrics get. One fix is to set a standing reminder on your phone for times when you typically work out (such as a weekly fitness class or personal training appointment). The reminder will prompt you to tap the app off at the appropriate time.

3. Stretch the Muscles You Worked
You’ve heard it before, and for good reason: Stretching is an important components of fitness. Taking the time to perform a good stretch after working out—when your muscles are already warm—can help improve posture, increase mobility and range of motion, and enhance muscular relaxation. Plus, it’s nice to take a few minutes to mentally relax before carrying on with your day. If possible, tack on a few minutes of foam rolling to further iron out muscle tension.

4. Wash Your Hands
You don’t hear this tip all that often in relation to exercise, but it can go a long way toward keeping you healthy so you don’t miss workouts due to illness. A lot of people handle (and sweat all over) gym equipment, such as dumbbells, weight machines, kettlebells and bike handlebars. Before leaving the gym, wash hands thoroughly in the shower or at a sink to prevent the spread of germs. 

5. Swap Out Your Shoes
If you typically wear the same fitness shoes at the gym as you do walking around town, consider tweaking your approach. Change sneakers before heading out so you get in the habit of wearing a designated pair only at the gym. This will keep your kicks feeling new and supportive for longer—and the gym floor cleaner, too.

6. Refill Your Water Bottle
It’s easy to drink water right before and during a workout because your water bottle is at arm’s reach. But people often stop sipping as soon as they move on to other things. To stay hydrated for longer, top up your water bottle as you’re leaving the gym. Keep it handy so you can drink from it for the rest of the day.

7. Have a Post-workout Bite
Aim to eat a healthy snack within about half an hour after a moderate-to-intense workout. Experts recommend a combo of carbs to replenish glycogen stores (fuel for the body) and protein to help repair muscle. Good post-workout snacks include almond butter spread on banana slices or whole-grain bread, or a plain yogurt smoothie with fruit.

8. Prep Your Gym Bag for Next Time
Preparing for your next workout just as you’re finishing your current one can help set the stage for long-term fitness success. Once you’re back at home, re-pack your gym bag right away with socks, a towel, shoes and anything else you might need. When it’s time for your next workout, you’ll be ready to grab your bag and go, reducing barriers to exercise like lack of time. Plus, knowing you’ve already prepped for the workout is a great motivator.







Thursday, October 25, 2018

Why You Should Train For Dynamic Balance




When we hear the word balance, we usually think of standing still on one leg or trying not to fall when walking on a slippery surface. While standing on one leg can certainly help improve static balance, maintaining control of a moving center of mass over a changing base of support is probably more relevant to many of life’s activities. This type of training is known as dynamic balance, and can help enhance skills that are relevant to a number of sports and activities of daily living. Dynamic balance training is also an effective way to help you achieve your fitness goals. 

Optimal balance is achieved when multiple sensory systems provide information about the body’s position as it moves over the ground. The eyes (visual), inner ear (vestibular) and skin (kinesthetic) contain numerous sensory receptors that provide important feedback to the central nervous system (CNS) about which muscles to activate and when. Maintaining static balance as the body remains in one position is relatively easy because you can concentrate on which muscles to contract to remain stable. However, many activities of daily living happen quickly, which means you have to rely on conscious thought to control which muscles to activate. 

Here are five reasons why it’s important to train dynamic balance and how adding it to your exercise program can produce results.

1. Training for dynamic balance could help you improve your running technique. The gait cycle, whether walking or running, requires the body to maintain control of its center of gravity as it changes position over a constantly moving base of support. During the gait cycle your body must maintain control of your center of gravity—usually found near the belly button—as you transition from one leg to the other. As your right foot hits the ground, the left leg prepares to swing forward; at the same time your left arm is swinging forward while your right arm is moving backward. The motion created by the swinging of the arms and legs results in a counter rotation between the upper back and pelvis to generate the momentum to move the body in a forward direction.

2. Dynamic balance training is an effective way to strengthen and tone the obliques and the muscles of the hips, thighs, glutes and low back. These muscles connect your hips to your pelvis and your pelvis to your spine. Increasing the strength of the core muscles can help improve your balance and coordination, while also improving your appearance.

3. Having good dynamic balance can help improve your coordination and ability to react to sudden changes of direction, both of which can help reduce the risk of an accidental fall. Controlling dynamic balance should be a reflexive response that happens automatically. If you feel that you don’t have good balance, it is extremely important that you do the work necessary to improve it.

4. Dynamic balance exercises can easily be added to the warm-up phase of a workout to prepare for lower-body strength training, a long run, an obstacle-course race, or for recreational sports such as tennis, basketball or soccer.

5. Dynamic balance exercises can be used as low-intensity recovery exercises between sets of high-intensity interval training or as a low-intensity bodyweight workout to help promote recovery the day after a challenging training session. These exercises can also be used on those days when you can’t make it to the gym, but still want to do something active. 

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

What To Look For In A Fitness App



Does it fit your skill level? 
Apps come in all shapes and sizes and it’s important to find one tailored to your workout regimen. Someone who is a newbie or does not like exercising may need an app that is in their face and is going to continually stimulate and encourage them. On the other hand, people who are already fit and know the basics are often looking for something more data driven to help them reach that next level.

Is it personal? 
Everyone’s body is different, so no fitness app should take a one-size-fits-all approach to your health. It’s important to look for apps that tailor their recommendations to you. The more the app knows about you, the better it’s able to help you. If an app doesn’t get any information about your height, weight, age, sex and intensity level, that’s a sign you should uninstall it.

Does it use all your phone’s features? 
Your phone is a marvel of technology, and the best apps take advantage of all your phone has to offer. The best apps use your GPS and accelerometer to track your workout.  Some will use sound to motivate you, and others use your phone’s camera to help you nail down the correct form for an exercise.

Is it connected? 
The fitness app you choose shouldn’t be a standalone program – it should work with your other phone apps to give you as large a view of your health as possible. We know that fitness and health is a combination of diet, exercise, sleep and more.  Having apps that work together and talk to each other to track all of those factors is imperative.

Does it have good reviews? 
While you shouldn’t base your decision solely on reviews, a poorly reviewed app is a sign that it isn’t the one you want.  Check for reviews that go into detail about what the reviewer did or didn’t like about the app.  You can always test it out for yourself, but if a lot of reviews mention similar issues, you might want to just stay away.

Is it social? 
One of the hardest parts of getting into shape is sticking with the program, which is why having people to encourage you and keep you accountable is  key to reaching your goals. Many apps will allow you to share your workouts to Twitter and Facebook.  You can have a comparison and competition with friends, and if you see that you’re behind, it might encourage you to work out more to try and beat them.

Does it keep you interested? 

Downloading the best app in the world won’t make a difference if you never actually use it.  That’s why the right app for you is the one that keeps you interested and keeps you coming back. Simply having the app on your phone isn’t going to help you lose weight. They make it easier to engage in good behaviors, but it’s ultimately up to you to go out and exercise.

Monday, October 8, 2018

Why You Should Add Pumpkin Seeds To Your Diet



Pumpkin seeds are truly a gift from nature. They don’t just taste great (actually fantastic!), but can also serve as a healthy protein option too. Keep in mind that raw, organic darkly colored heirloom pumpkin seeds or raw, organic bright green pumpkin seeds will offer more nutrients than other varieties that are salted, roasted or sprayed with pesticides, so be sure you choose the best source. (These versions also tastes the best too!)

Here’s what these seeds have to offer:

Iron
Pumpkin seeds are rich in iron and are one of the best sources in such a small amount found throughout the plant-based diet. Though beans and some legumes are much higher (along with grains), pumpkin seeds are pretty impressive, offering 16 percent   of your daily needs in just 1/4 a cup. Raw, organic pumpkin seed protein powder is even available now, which would be an even denser way to get your fill of iron from this healthy seed, providing 40 percent, almost identical to hemp protein protein powder. 

Alkalizing and Anti-Inflammatory
Raw, green pumpkin seeds are green because they have a high amount of natural chlorophyll in them. Chlorophyll is found in all green foods, which alkalizes and naturally cleanses the body (no need for a detox here!). Pumpkin seeds offer the most of any seed or nut since they are denser in the green hue, though hemp and even purely raw sunflower seeds are other good sources. Chlorophyll alkalizes the blood, which prevents inflammation that occurs from a high acidic diet or other lifestyle factors.

Fiber
Pumpkin seeds also have more fiber than many nuts, boosting 5 grams per 1/4 cup. This can help regulate your blood sugar, enhance regularity, and the fiber in pumpkin seeds is easier to digest than from some other sources like beans or hard-to-digest grains and nuts. Pumpkin seeds have also been linked to improving insulin regulation, which can help those with blood sugar issues or even diabetes.

Non-Allergenic
If you have a nut allergy, you’ll especially want to jump on board the pumpkin seed train! Pumpkin seeds and other seeds should be enjoyed since they provide beneficial fatty acids that one might miss out on when they can’t enjoy the healthy fat from nuts. Even if you don’t have an allergy to nuts, these seeds will provide other nutrients that you won’t get in such a small serving from other foods. Pumpkin seeds are also a great source of soy-free protein for those that have a soy allergy or just want to avoid it.

Protein
Of course, we can’t forget protein! Pumpkin seeds have a good amount of protein in a small serving, containing 5 grams in just once ounce. They’re a rich source of amino acids and contain an especially high amount of tryptophan, the amino acid that enhances serotonin production in the body. They’re true mood-boosters and make a great addition to any meal to up the protein content. Think smoothies, oatmeal, salads, soups, stir-fries, and more!

Zinc
These seeds are also a fantastic source of zinc, which helps carbohydrate metabolism in the body, hormone production, and even improves immune health and even your skin, hair, and nails. Pumpkin seeds contain 23 percent of your daily zinc needs in just 1/4 cup serving. Cacao, nuts, seeds, and some grains are also good sources.

Healthy Fats
Pumpkin seeds might be high in fat, but it’s the fat your body loves! They’re an especially good source of omega 3 fatty acids and a rich source of mono-unsaturated fats that protect your heart, prevent inflammation, and help manage your weight. Like all healthy fats, they’re not meant to be consumed in massive amounts, but eaten in single serving portions at each of your meals or as a healthy snack. Healthy fats ensure good heart health, help balance your blood sugar, and are an important factor in your mood, digestion, and overall health. Always choose whole food based sources of healthy fats which also have fiber and whole food sources of vitamins and minerals.

Anti-microbial
Pumpkin seeds have even been shown to eliminate seriously dangerous microbes from the body, including parasites!  These seeds are no joke when it comes to keeping you healthy all the way around. Just 1/4 cup a day has been shown to be beneficial at improving immune health and also eliminating (not just preventing) various unhealthy microbes from harming the body. Keep in mind an overall healthy diet, rich in whole, plant-based foods is a key primer for keeping unhealthy microbes away, though some specific foods like pumpkin seeds, garlic and coconut have been linked to especially impressive treatment benefits as well. Even for yeast infections like candida, pumpkin seeds have been shown to prevent yeast overgrowth, inflammation, and can improve skin conditions in those with skin-based yeast infections.

Magnesium
Magnesium is such an important mineral for your health.  It’s commonly called the ‘forgotten mineral’ because many people suffer health issues, all because of magnesium deficiency (headaches, low blood sugar, constipation, insomnia, lack of energy, and a foul mood, just to name a handful). Some people believe this is because the important mineral that’s found in the soil has been destroyed by factoring farming, soil depletion and other agricultural factors, while some people simply don’t eat enough naturally magnesium-rich foods (plant-based foods). Animal foods, sugar, refined grains and processed foods don’t contain the true magnesium that whole plant-based foods do. Pumpkin seeds are some of the richest sources of magnesium in such a small serving, while greens, grains, beans, legumes, cashews, almonds, and cacao are other especially dense sources.

How to Use Pumpkin Seeds:
As you can see, protein is just one of the many nutrients found in pumpkin seeds. Be sure to enjoy them in oatmeal, smoothies, chia pudding, raw energy bites, granola bars, muffins, salads, soups, and whole grain dishes, which are all easy ways to add the seeds to your diet. Toss them into one of your meals each day, or enjoy them in a healthy trail mix!

You might also like to try some of these deliciously healthy recipes with pumpkin seeds that we love:

Saturday, September 22, 2018

Bizarre Effects of Working Out




Most don't work out for the pure joy of being drenched in sweat. They do it for the side effects: shed pounds, sexier muscles, and a longer, healthier life. But most don't know that itching, the runs, coughing, headaches, and a snot-covered face are all just as common side effects. Luckily, you can keep the good side effects without the (literally) crappy ones. Here's how:

Itching
You expect your skin to get red from your workout, but if it also gets splotchy, itchy, or covered in hives, a ton of different things could be ticking off your epidermis: tight workout clothes, chemicals contained within them, or a condition called exercise-induced urticaria. All three can stress out your body, causing it to produce histamines, antihistamines, and finally itching, says exercise physiologist Pete McCall, CSCS. It's basically an allergic reaction.

Skip the side effect: If you develop hives or rashes during or after exercise — and they also tend to pop up when you take hot showers, eat spicy foods, or get really ticked off — exercise-induced urticaria is likely to blame. Talk to your doc about your symptoms and find out if it's safe for you to take an antihistamine before hitting the gym.
Meanwhile, to prevent any skin irritations that your clothes can cause, try switching to looser-fitting clothing and make sure to wash everything with a fragrance-free detergent and no fabric softener, as both can irritate skin, says Michael Shepard, MD, a sports-medicine specialist with the Hoag Orthopedic Institute and team doctor to the Los Angeles Angels. Also, some people don't get along with polyester, spandex, or Lycra, so if you notice that you commonly have problems when you wear synthetic fabrics, stick with cotton.

The Runs
Funnily enough, this one is most common in runners. "When you go for a long run, your body has to shuttle blood to your muscles and away from your digestive system for an extended period of time," Shepard says. So any food in your gut just sits there and rattles around with every step, making diarrhea a real and ever-present threat.
Skip the side effect: Carbo-load the night before, not hours before, a long run, Shepard says. It will help guarantee that by the time you hit the trail, the food is already out of your stomach and the carbs are ready to go, packed away for safe keeping in your liver and muscles. You should still eat a small carb-rich snack within a couple hours of working out, but some runners can't stomach more than Jell-O. Meanwhile, if your long runs aren't mandatory, breaking them up into shorter intervals can help ease stomach upset.

Coughing
You finished your workout strong. Then all of a sudden, you can't breathe. Congratulations: you have exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology,  the condition, which causes a narrowing of the airways in the lungs, causes shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing in about one out of five people and nine out of 10 people with asthma. It's believed that, in people who suffer from the condition, the body reacts to airborne irritants by constricting its airways.

Skip the side effect: Exercising indoors may help keep your airways moist (dry air can make them clam up) and clear of pollutants.  Upping your vitamin C intake can also help prevent inflammation in your airways. In one 2013 study published in BMJ Open when exercisers popped a vitamin C supplement, they cut their symptoms in half.

Headaches
During exercise, to keep your blood pumping, blood vessels throughout your body — including your brain — dilate. Especially in people who are prone to migraines, these expanded blood vessels can trigger headaches, Shepard says. And on the opposite end of the spectrum, holding your breath while you crank out reps can deprive your brain of oxygen-filled blood and bring on pain.

Skip the side effect: Exercise headaches are most frequent during strenuous exercise, especially when exercisers are pushing themselves too hard. Mastering moderate-intensity workouts before you start hitting high-intensity ones can help prevent headaches, according to the Migraine Trust, a UK-based research charity. Warming up before any workout can also help by preventing a sudden rush of blood through your brain.

Snot
By dilating blood vessels in your nose, and constricting others, exercise can open the floodgates that are your nasal passages. Called exercise-induced rhinitis (EIR), it's most common in people with nasal allergies, but is anything but rare in people who don't generally have the sniffles, according to research from the Allergy Asthma Immunology Clinic of Colorado.

Skip the side effect: Outdoor EIR is more common than its indoor counterpart, causing experts to believe that outdoor irritants like pollen and nitrogen dioxide in car exhaust may make things worse, McCall says. If your symptoms start getting in the way of your workout, you can talk to your doctor about possible nasal sprays that can help.

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Why We Are Nuts About Nuts




People who consume five or more servings of nuts per week have lower levels of disease-causing inflammation than those who never (or almost never) eat nuts, according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. What’s more, people who sub in three servings of nuts per week in place of red meat, processed meat, eggs, or refined grains can also experience lower levels of inflammation.

And, in a 2013 study of nearly 190,000 people published in the New England Journal of Medicine, those who ate a 1-oz serving of nuts daily decreased their risk of dying from any cause, including cancer and heart disease, by 20%. “These people also tend to be leaner, which is a curious finding, considering a serving of nuts is 160 to 200 calories,” says study researcher Charles S. Fuchs, M.D., M.P.H., professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Fuchs suggests that nuts’ positive effect on energy balance, metabolism, and satiety likely explain how the high-fat snack can actually keep your weight in check.

But this isn’t a free pass to eat peanuts and pistachios by the bagful. “The key is portion size,” says Maureen Tarnus, M.S., R.D., executive director of the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research & Education Foundation. “The FDA-qualified health claim for nuts and heart disease recommends 1.5 oz (about 1/3 cup) per day, and much of the research on nuts and diabetes, weight, and so on has looked at that same amount.”

In terms of variety, “pick whatever nut you like,” advises Fuchs. “They all appear to be providing comparable benefits.” Still, some nuts offer unique health-boosting bonuses, like strengthening bones, boosting braining health, or improving eyesight, so zero-in on these eight.

1. Pistachios
Serving size: 49 nuts
160 calories, 6g protein, 8g carbs, 13g fat, 3g fiber
If snacking presents a once-you-pop-you-can’t-stop problem, pick pistachios. The tiny green nuts afford you the biggest serving size—49 kernels—and since they’re typically sold in-shell, the work that goes into peeling the nuts slows down consumption. Pistachios are also the nut with the highest levels of three eyesight-boosting antioxidants: lutein, zeazanthin, and beta-carotene.

2. Almonds
Serving size: 23 nuts
163 calories, 6g protein, 6g carbs, 14g fat, 3.5g fiber
Almonds offer up more fiber than any other nut, which may help explain why participants in a Purdue University study who added 1.5oz of the nut to their daily diets reported less hunger and did not gain weight despite taking in 250 extra calories. Almonds also contain 75mg of calcium per serving—a fourth of what’s in a cup of skim milk.
In addition to the Purdue study, a study from Penn State found that almonds, when eaten regularly, were a big help in removing cholesterol from the body and lowering the risk of heart disease.. 

3. Peanuts
Serving size: 28 nuts
166 calories, 7g protein, 5g carbs, 14g fat, 2g fiber
Since they grow underground, peanuts are technically legumes, but offer the same health and nutrition benefits as tree nuts. At 7g per serving, peanuts are the big winner when it comes to protein. They’re also one of the best sources of arginine—the amino acid promotes the production of nitric oxide, which helps dilate blood vessels and may help lower blood pressure.

4. Walnuts
Serving size: 14 halves
​190 calories, 4g protein, 4g carbs, 18g fat, 2g fiber
Walnuts’ claim to fame: They’re the only nuts that are a significant source of alpha-linolenic acid, a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid that boosts heart and brain health. What’s more, a walnut-rich diet may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, as the nut’s high levels of antioxidants protect the brain from degeneration, according to research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 

5. Brazil nuts
Serving size: 6 nuts
186 calories, 4g protein, 4g carbs, 19g fat, 2g fiber
​Brazil nuts are best known for their selenium content—a 1-oz serving delivers 777% of the recommended daily intake of the antioxidant. Selenium fights free radicals, particles that damage cells and cause diseases like cancer and heart disease; plays a role in thyroid function and reproduction; and may bolster the immune system. So stock up during flu season. 

6. Cashews
Serving size: 18 nuts
157 calories, 5g protein, 9g carbs, 12g fat, 1g fiber
​In addition to being the nut that’s lowest in fat, cashews are also an excellent source of copper—one serving takes care of almost 100% of your daily intake of the mineral. Copper does a number of things in the body: It helps absorb iron (and make energy); manufactures red blood cells; and forms collagen, a key component of bones and connective tissue.

7. Hazelnuts
Serving size: 21 nuts
178 calories, 4g protein, 5g carbs, 17g fat, 3g fiber
Hazelnuts are big on folate—a lack of the B-vitamin, found primarily in leafy green vegetables, may cause mental-health issues, like depression. Hazelnuts also have a higher concentration of proanthocyanidins than any other nut. PACs are antioxidant plant compounds that may lower blood pressure, keep blood vessels and arteries healthy, and reduce the risk of heart disease. 

8. Pecans
Serving size: 19 halves
196 calories, 3g protein, 4g carbs, 20g fat, 3g fiber
​Think outside the pie. Pecans are the nuts with the highest concentration of antioxidants, especially vitamin E, according to research published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. Joined by foods like blueberries and beans, food potent in antioxidants protect against cell damage and decrease the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Why You Should Incorporate Dry Brushing In Your Routine



You may be thinking, Why do I need to add something else to my already busy morning routine? Let me assure you, the extra five minutes this takes is well worth the investment.

Think back to your human biology class (minus the traumatizing exam) and answer these questions: What is the largest organ in the body? What is one of the most important elimination organs in the body, playing a large role in daily detoxification? What organ receives a third of all the blood that is circulated in the body? When the blood is full of toxic materials, what organ will reflect this with problems? What organ is the last to receive nutrients in the body, yet the first to shows signs of imbalance or deficiency?

Answer for all: the skin! 

The benefits of dry skin brushing include:

Listen up ladies: Increasing the circulation to the skin could possibly reduce the appearance of cellulite. Cellulite is toxic material accumulated in your body’s fat cells. So, rather than take drastic measures like liposuction, how about utilizing the dry skin brushing techniques to help break down unwanted toxins?

Dry body brushing helps shed dead skin cells (and encourages new cell renewal), which results in smoother and brighter skin. It can also help with any pesky ingrown hairs.

It assists in improving vascular blood circulation and lymphatic drainage. By releasing toxins, it encourages the body’s discharge of metabolic wastes so the body is able to run more effectively.

Dry skin brushing rejuvenates the nervous system by stimulating nerve endings in the skin (and it feels pretty great, too!).  It helps with muscle tone and gives you a more even distribution of fat deposits. Dry skin brushing helps your skin to absorb nutrients by eliminating clogged pores.

Dry body brushing first thing in the morning can actually set up a perfect day! By doing something solely for yourself first thing in the morning, you can develop a beautiful follow-through effect, starting with a healthy breakfast - why ruin all the good work you just did?

Can you try dry body brushing at home?

Good news – you don’t have to book a pricey spa treatment to reap the benefits; this one can be done in your very own bathroom. All you need to do is purchase a natural bristle brush (not one made from nylon or synthetic materials). One with a long handle is also a plus, as it means you can reach all areas of the body.
The directions are pretty simple:

Start on dry skin before bathing.

Work in gentle circular, upward motions, then longer, smoother strokes.

Always begin at the ankles in upwards movements towards the heart - the lymphatic fluid flows through the body towards the heart, so it's important that you brush in the same direction.

Your back is the only exception to the preceding rule; brush from the neck down to the lower back.

After you've finished with the ankles, move up to the lower legs, thighs, stomach, back and arms. Be cautious of softer and sensitive skin around the chest and breasts, and never brush over inflamed skin, sores, sun-burnt skin, or skin cancer.

Ensure you shower to wash away the dead skin cells and impurities.
Tip: alternating temperatures in the shower from hot to cold will further invigorate the skin and stimulate blood circulation, bring more blood to the outer layers of the skin.
Then follow it up with a slick moisturizer to nourish the skin.
Give it a go for 30 consecutive days and your body will love you for it!